Storage and display rack



April 12, 1960 R. R. CITRON 2,932,407

STORAGE AND DISPLAY RACK Filed March 30, 1959 m HG-Z 5 JNVENTOR. ROBERT R. CITRON WM QM ilnited States Patent c6 2,932,407 STORAGE ANDDISPLAY RACK Robert R. Citron, Stockton, Calif.

Application March '30, 1959, Serial No. 802,719 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-113) This invention relates to a storage and display rack. More particularly, this invention relates to a divided, shelf-like cover for the lower, horizontal member of a conventional garment hanger, the combination having a multitude of uses, especially that of the neatand secure storage of neckties, belts, scarves, stockings, and thelike 1 Patented Apr. 12, 1960 etficient storage rack which will maintain in orderly fashion a large number of items in a compact and conarticles.

Another object of the instant invention is provision of a divided-type of storage device for industrial equipment as well as manytother types ofelongated, flexible, and

or items of merchandise and the like, which will keep them separated in a preselected arrangement and yet will enable the quick and convenient removal of individual units.

Stillanother object of the instant invention is to provide a storage rack which is easily removable from one location to another and which can be used in allsizes and types of closets or other areas where coathangers are ordinarily employed.

, Anotherobject of the instant invention is the provision of storage racks which do not require mounting thereof onwoodwork, walls, etc., but rather may be suspended from any convenient hook, shelf, pipe rack or the like. Other objects and advantages will become apparent I from the following description of a preferred form of clothing, are readily disarranged and wrinkled 'ins'torage, and are also quite readily displaced from a cluttered garment hanger or clothes hook, thereby becoming soiled or damaged. It is 'both inconvenient and inefiicient to look through a whole assortment of such items before the needed article is found. This is time-consuming and unnecessary, according to the unique and basic improvements represented by the instant invention.

Probably the most widely used of these storage devices for clothing is that of the standard garment hanger. Although this provides a ready means for storing elongated items of clothing, merchandise, and the like, it has a distinct disadvantage in that these objects, when loosely suspended from the horizontal member thereof, frequently become intermingled, wrinkled and damaged. Furthermore, there is a very noticeable tendency for these objects to slip from the hanger onto the floor, thus becoming soiled and wrinkled.

Other types of clothing, merchandise and storage racks have been devised for the separation of wearing apparel and the like with varying degrees of efficiency. Some have a large number of parts, thereby necessitating high production costs and commensurately increased sales prices. Others may have a relatively small number of parts but are capable of handling only a very limited and inadequate amount of clothing or other such objects for storage.

The art, therefore, has need of a simple and inexpensive device which can be utilized to store ties, belts, scarves, hosiery, merchandise or industrial and other articles of like character in a neat and orderly fashion, enabling the removal of any one of the stored items with a minimum of time and elfort. The device must be suitable for use in all places where the items are likely to be stored. Preferably, the device should also be so designed that it does not need to be installed upon the woodwork, walls, or other foundations in the storage place. Moreover, the device should be mobile so that the objects suspended thereon may be readily viewed for proper selection.

The foregoing problems are resolved and the above specified desirable features supplied by the instant invention which, although originating as a device to deal with clothing storage problems, is also adaptable to a much wider range of uses, as will be readily apparent from the following description thereof.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an 3Q rack divider;

.the invention, takenin connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the storage rack suspended from a closet clothes-pole;

Fig. 2 is'a plan .view of the lower layer of the storage Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper layer of the storage rack divider; Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in section taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Turning now to the drawings, it will be seen that the invention comprises a lower, arcuate, rectangular-shaped, thin, elongated divider 10 made up of body portion 11, and tabs 12 having edges 13, hinged bottoms 14, and ends 15; an upper stabilizer 20 comprising a body portion 21 of the same size and configuration as the divider 10 but containing, in lieu of tabs 12, transverse slots 22 positioned along said body portion 21, coinciding with the tabs 12 of the divider 10; notches 16 and 23 positioned at both ends of the members 10 and 20, respectively; all suitably positioned on support 30, such as a wire-type coat hanger, for suspending the divider and stabilizer from a place of storage. The tabs 12 are punched upwardly from the divider 10 and are bent into a perpendicular position relative to the longitudinal axis of said divider 10, remaining attached thereto at the hinged bottom 14. The stabilizer 20 fits on top of the divider 10 with the tabs 12 projecting upwardly through their respective slots 22, as best viewed in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. The slots 22 bear against the sides 12a, 12b of the tabs 12 at 17, 18 respectively, and maintain the said tabs 12 in their upstanding position.

In use, the stabilizer 20 is positioned on top of the divider 10 to form the rack 40, whereupon the rack 40 is placed upon a wire-type coat hanger 30, as illustrated in Fig. 3, comprising lateral arms 30a, hook 30b, and bottom cross-member 30c (Figs. 4 and 5). The notches 16 and 23 are arranged so that the corners 30d fit tightly therein and are thereby gripped in such a manner that any tendency for the rack 40 to slip off the coat hanger 30 is averted. The coat hanger 30 then is suspended over a cylindrical or other cross-section rod 32, such as is commonly found in clothes closets. Ties 50, belts 60, scarves 70, and other such items are then placed across the top surface of the rack 40, between the upstanding tabs 12, and efiiciently maintained in this position so that A feature of the presentinvention-twhichyaltlibugh., not devoted to the storageofobjects -in a 'div'ided and" 4 ,I, claim:

1. A divided rack for hanging ties, belts, and the like,

'comprisingr' a"substantially triangular-shaped "support orderly fashion-is," nevertheless, 'an'"important"attribute thereto, is thatvif desiredthe tabs 12 may'be'bent down tolie' flat on "the member-'20, and trousersyskirts or-other garments-and articles whichrequireproperstor- --age so as not'to cause-anyloss;-damage-oi*depreciation' 15 "in their quality-"or condition may .be placed "acrosskt'ne rack 40 "and-Will -be'"thereby protected from; creasing 'or other such damage. The corners 19 and'jtheedges' 13 ""ofthe-tabs 12 act'as a-stpp by "'enga'ging thrgarments or "material placed acrossthe' rack'40; thuspreventing"'20 *"them"fromdisplacementand damage.

Although "the foregoing description "ofithei invention has been directed primarily to its use=as a"clothes storage -"device; it is apparent that many other 'usescan'be'madev *thereof. -Practic'ally any type of lightweight; relatively "'25 narrow-and elongated article may be suspended --by this "invention, including photographicjfilm; string-"wire; ar- "i ticles of merchandise or industry, and many'more items =-=which-will become apparent" to the user.

To those skilled in the art to which' this 'iinvention3(l relates, many changes in construction and widelytdiifering embodiments and applications "of the 'invention' will suggest themselves without departing fromthe spifit'ahd scope'of the invention. The disclosures 'andithe descriphaving a hook at the top corner for suspending the support from an object and having the side opposite the said hook related to said hook in such a manner that, as the support is hanging freely, the said side is in a horizontal position; and mounted on the top of said side and extending the lengthathereof a two-layered, arcuate, substantially rectangular/andrelatively-long and thin shaped shelf-like devicef'th bottom layer containing a plurality of punched-out, .upsta'ndingtransverse tabs extending ,upwardlyl in a vposition substantially perpendicular to the 1ongit1idinal=axis of said bottom layer, and the top layer containing: a'aplurality of. transverse slots, extending therethrough, positioned to coincide with the said upstanding tabs, said tabs extending through said slots and receiving therefrom support to maintain their ,upward projection, and a notch at both ends ofthe "two layered device for encircling the support to prevent thedevice from disengaging therefrom.

2.'The device "of claim 1, wherein the tabs 'of said layered device are shaped as'an inverted, truncated pyra- ReferencesCited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 896,131 Marsh Aug; 18,1908 1 2284979 Lazarus June 2;- .1942 2,448,282 fSchmitt Aug."'31;"'1948 12,590,738 Tufts Mar. 25, 1952 T'269 6;356 Baumann Dec.,7,"1954 2,796,213 ""Shanahan June 18, 1957 tion herein are purely illustrative and are 'notlfintended V *""-to be in any sense limiting. 

